Big men deliver 36ers dominant win in Brisbane

Isaac Humphries was dominant, imposing and intimidating as the Adelaide 36ers hit the road for the first time this season and with Daniel Johnson's support, the Brisbane Bullets had no answers and the Sixers won big 85-70.

The 36ers hit the road for the first time in #NBL21 to take on the Bullets on Saturday night at Brisbane's Nissan Arena, and that was on the back of having a week to stew over a disappointing home showing last Saturday against the Sydney Kings that snapped a three-game winning streak.

The response from the 36ers was emphatic and impressive with the 15-point victory improving them to a 5-3 record on the season so far, and it was all on the back of the efforts and presence of Humphries and Johnson inside, who are becoming affectionately known as the 'Twin Towers'.

By the end of the evening, Humphries and Johnson had combined for 45 points, 17 rebounds, six blocked shots and four assists while shooting 19/31 from the field between them, 2/4 from three-point land and 5/9 from the foul line.

If your two big men are producing those sort of numbers and providing performances that are dominant as they were you are naturally going to be tough to beat, and that's exactly what the 36ers were on Saturday night.

The Bullets were minus former Adelaide centre Matt Hodgson and just had no answer for either big men with Humphries a powerhouse around the basket and quite the shot intimidator defensively while the finesse for a near seven-footer from Johnson continues to make him an elite NBL great.

The 45 points scored by the Sixers' Twin Towers matched the total that every Bullets player contributed not named Nathan Sobey. The former Adelaide guard had 25 points but didn’t get much support.

But Adelaide blew the game right out after half-time. The 36ers were leading 39-32 at half-time but then outscored the Bullets 46 to 38 in the second half. At one point they led by as much as 21 points before settling on the 15-point win.

Humphries made another MVP statement with 24 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks to be the dominant force in the game at both ends. Johnson finished with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Then the Sixers got solid contributions with Josh Giddey showing flashes in his nine points, seven assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Tony Crocker added 11 points and six rebounds, Sunday Dech eight points, nine boards, three assists and three steals, Brendan Teys six points, Jack McVeigh six points and seven rebounds. 

Sixers coach Conner Henry was not only delighted with the efforts of Humphries and Johnson, but the whole team to bounce back strongly.

"I'm really pleased with how they both played. I think it was just a culmination of a good week of practice understanding coming off of the Sydney game that we got back to some basic defensive elements," Henry said.

"I thought we executed the game plan quite well. I think when we stick to what the system it gets a little scrappy at times and sometimes we bog down defensively. 

"But when we get back to getting it through hands and screening hard, making sharp cuts and knowing where we want to go with the basketball after we create an advantage, that's what we want to do. We did a good job of wrestling the control of the game to us and then staying with it."

The tone for the game was set early with Isaac Humphries scoring Adelaide's opening eight points, but the Bullets had started a bit better on their home court and went into quarter-time leading 19-16.

But when Adelaide settled into a groove and realised the dominance they had inside, with Josh Giddey doing well getting the ball to Humphries and Daniel Johnson, the visitors worked their way on top.

Midway through the second period Adelaide went on a 10-0 run before heading into the half-time interval leading 39-32.

Tony Crocker opened the second half scoring to make it a nine-point lead for the 36ers and then the visitors withstood a run from the Bullets to respond before three quarter-time with the last three field goals through Humphries and Brendan Teys to lead 52-47.

Then to open the fourth period, Adelaide blew the game apart for good with an 11-0 run to turn a three-point lead into one of 14 points. It started with a Sunday Dech triple, a couple of strong finishes from Humphries, and buckets to Teys and Crocker.

Johnson would later go on his own run of six straight points and soon after Adelaide led by 21 when Dech cruised in from the corner to throw down a dunk.

The Sixers went on to win by 15 with the two teams to do it all again at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Monday night.

2020/21 Hungry Jack's NBL Season - Round 5

ADELAIDE 36ERS 85 (Humphries 24, Johnson 21, Crocker 11) 

BRISBANE BULLETS 70 (Sobey 25, Law 9, Krebs 9)

Box Score